Support for bicycle-saddles



(No Model.)

B. M. STAPLES.

V SUPPORT FOR BIGYOLBSADDLES. No. 487,081. PatentedNOm-QQ, 1892;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE.

ELIAL M. STAPLES, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY.

SUPPORT FOR BICYCLE-SADDLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 487,081, dated November 29, 1892.

Application filed November 7, 1391- Serial No. 411,177. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELIAL M. STAPLES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizaboth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Supports for Bicycle- Saddles, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a support for bicycle-saddles, and has for its object to obviate chafing of the rider against the saddle and to allow of greater freedom of movement while pedaling a machine, as also to provide an elastic or spring support, the tension of which may be varied to adapt it to riders of different weights. To this end my improved saddle-support is provided with pivots which permit the rear end of the saddle to swing and also to tilt or rock sidewise when the rider is pedaling, the saddle thus following the motions of the rider so that there will be the least possible friction and the labor of pedaling will be reduced to a mininum. Between the upper and lower parts or plates constituting the saddle-support is interposed a rocking brace which maybe varied in position lengthwise of the support to vary the tension of the upper or spring part of the support, all as will be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side view of a bicyclesaddle mounted upon one form of myimproved saddle-support and showing the latter attached to the bicycle-seat post. Fig. 2 is a' sectional view of the saddle-support on a somewhat larger scale than Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of a saddle-support showing the adjustable brace, and Fig. at is a detail view illustrating a slight modification.

A denotes a portion of a bicycle-seat post provided with an ordinary clip a, and B denotes the lower bar or base piece of my improved saddle-support, said lower bar or base piece being provided with an upturned forward end I), having a horizontal front extremit b.

B is the upper bar or plate of the saddlesupport, said upper bar or plate being joined to the lower bar by a vertical pivot-bolt b the said upper and lower bars or plates being connected at their rear ends by a suitable limiting device, (shown in Fig. 2,) as consistvertical post E, which is of such construction as to rock sidewise when so desired. To permit of this sidewise rocking movement, the said brace is preferably formed convex onits lower face, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, and is provided with arms 6, embracing the lower bar B of the saddle-support. The upper end of said brace E is provided with a rounded head 6, adapted to rest in a socket in an adjustable clip F, attached to the upper bar B of the saddle-support by a suitable set-screw f; or instead of employing this adjustable clip F the upper bar B of the saddle-support may be provided with a longitudinal series of seats b formed in its lower face, as shown in Fig. 4:. As the weight of the rider will be supported rearward by the brace or post E, it will be obvious that by adjusting said brace or post lengthwise of the saddle-support the tension of the upper spring plate or bar B of said saddle-support may be varied to accommodate riders of different weights. The ver-. tical pivot-bolt b joining the upper and lower. barsorplates of the saddle-support at their forward ends is ordinarily left sufficiently loose to permit the upper plate or bar B of the saddlesupport to rock and swing sidewise slightly relative to the lower plate, so that the saddle may follow the movements of the rider i-n pedaling, these lateral movements of the said;

bar or plate being controlled by alimitingde vice O or O at the rear end of the saddle. If, however, it be desirable to make the sad-. die-support rigid, and thus do away with the the lateral movements of the upper bar thereof, this can be effected by tightly screwing up the nut on the vertical pivot-bolt b As shown in the drawings, thelimiting devices 0 and 0 would appear to be taut, as represented; but it will be understood that with the weight of the rider on the saddle the upper bar or plate of the saddle-support will spring downward somewhat andloosen the said limiting devices to an extent which may be desired and which will be determined by the position of attachment of the bars on the vertical post E. The limiting device or strap 0' is made adjustable by reason of the different holes therein, so that more or less play may be permitted, and the device or rod- 0 may also be lengthwise adjustable, if de sired. This might be effected by forming the said rod in two threaded parts connected by a right and left hand nut.

From the above description it will be apparent that the vertical pivot afforded by the bolt 1) and the pivotal bearing aiforded by the rounded head e of the post E practically form a universal joint, permitting the rear portion of the upper bar or plate B and of the saddle attached thereto to swing and also to rock or tilt sidewise, so that the saddle follows the motions of the riderin pedaling, and the operation will therefore be as follows: When the right foot is depressed during the downward movement of the right pedal, the pressure of the right thigh against the right side of the saddle is increased while the pressure of the left thigh against the saddle is diminished. The rear end of thesaddle accordingly swings to the left on the front pivot of the bar or plate B, and at the same time said bar or plate turns or rocks slightly upon the ball-pivot at the upper end of the brace E, the saddle th us conforming its movements to those of the rider and thereby presenting the least possible rigidity or resistance to the action of the muscles of the legs of the rider.- When the left foot is depressed, the pressure on the leftside of the saddle is increased and is correspondingly diminished on the right side of the saddle, and the saddle now swings to the right, repeating the action above described in reverse order, and thus the operation continues.

It has been found by actual experience that my improved saddle-support very materially lessens the exertion of the rider in pedaling,- for the reason that the saddle is so supported and mounted that it may follow the movements of the rider to any extent that may be desirable, thereby reducing the friction on the saddle and rendering the labor of pedaling the machine very much less than it would otherwise be.

My improved spring saddle-support also adds to the elasticity of the saddle, as the upper plate or bar B yields when jars occuriu rough riding, thereby considerably contributing to the ease of the rider.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A bicycle-saddle support consisting of two parts having a pivotal connection at their forward ends so that the rear end of the upper part may swing laterally relative to the lower part, the rear ends of such parts being loosely connected together by a device which limits the lateral movements of the swinging part.

2. A support for bicycle-saddles, consisting of two parts pivotally connected together at their forward ends so that the rearend of the upper part may swing laterally relative to the lower part and loosely connected together at their rear ends by a device which limits the swinging movements of the upper part, combined with an interposed brace or vertical post arranged between the front and rear ends of the saddle-support.

3. A support for bicycle-saddles, consisting of two parts pivotally connected together at their forward ends so that the rear end of the upper part may swing laterally relative to the lower part and loosely connected together at their rear ends by a device which limits the swinging movements of the upper part, combined with an interposed brace or vertical post arranged between the front and rear ends of the saddle-support, the said brace or vertical post having a rounded top and a curved lower portion to permit the upper part of the saddle-support to rock thereon and to allow said brace or vertical post to rock on the lower part of the saddle-support.

4. A bicycle-saddle support consisting of two separated bars or plates attached together by a pivot or pivots affording a universal joint and connected by a limiting device at their rear ends, combined with a brace interposed between said bars or plates and having at its upper end a universal joint bearing and restinga-t its lower end upon the lower baror plate.

5. A bicycle-saddle support consisting of two separated bars or plates attached together at their forward ends and connected by a limiting device at their rear ends, combined with a brace or'vertical support interposed between said bars or plates intermediate of their ends.

6. A bicycle-saddle support consisting of two separated bars or plates attached together at their forward ends by a vertical pivot and connected by a limiting device at their rear ends, combined with a longitudinally-adjustable brace or vertical support interposed between said bars'or plates intermediate of their ends.

7. A spring-support for bicycle-saddles, consisting of the steel bars or plates B- and B, separated from each other, as shown, and connected together at their forward ends by a vertical pivot-bolt b combined with the brace or post E, interposed between said bars or plates intermediate of their ends and constructed to rock laterally, as set forth, and a limiting device joining the rear ends of said bars or plates and serving to limit the side wise swinging movement of the upper bar or plate B, to which the saddle is to be attached.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELIAL M. STAPLES.

Witnesses:

HENRY J. (30X,- GEO. R. KEELER. 

